The present invention relates to a laser tube for a gas laser which, on at least one end face, has a tube flange for the detachable fastening of a laser window or of a laser mirror.
For lasers which operate in a sealed-off vacuum, such as inert-gas lasers, other gas lasers and particularly CO.sub.2 wave guide lasers, it is required that internal mirrors be mounted as closely as possible to the ceramic material or glass of the laser tube.
Furthermore, it is not only advantageous for the windows or mirrors closing off the laser tube for a gas laser to be removable, but also to be easily adjustable after a remounting of cleaned or exchanged windows or mirrors. As a result, for example, the manufacturing and the servicing of laser tubes is simplified significantly. In addition, it is required that, during servicing, an installed mirror can be adjusted without any demounting.
The known arrangements of laser tubes of gas lasers with removable and readjustable end mirrors have the disadvantage that they require high manufacturing expenditures and are therefore comparatively expensive or that they, (for example, with crimp or upset connections), allow only a comparatively cumbersome adjusting.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser tube for a gas laser which, at least on one end face, has a tube flange for the detachable fastening of a laser window or of a laser mirror, in such a manner that the laser window or the laser mirror can be easily adjusted.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which provides a laser tube for a gas laser that has a tube flange on at least one end face of the gas laser for the detachable fastening of at least one of a laser window and of a laser mirror. The laser tube has a first adjusting flange that is gastightly mounted on the tube flange, and an elastic tube-shaped element, in the interior of which the laser beam extends, which is gastightly connected at a first end with the first adjusting flange. A second adjusting flange is gastightly connected at a second end of the tube-shaped element. A mirror flange is gastightly mounted to the second adjusting flange and carries at least one of the laser window and the laser mirror. At least two adjusting screws are arranged between the first and second adjusting flanges. At least one restoring element is provided between the first and second adjusting flanges and generates a restoring force.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.